Condo Media - October 2024 - 30

Ask a Busy Person
Building
Relationships,
Getting Things
Done
MEET PATRICK HOLLAND, CMCA, AMS,
Account Executive,
Barkan Management Company, Inc., AMO®
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN PROPERTY MANAGEMENT?
In 1998, I was working in a completely diff erent fi eld as a regional manager
for Blockbuster Video. I was looking to transition, and a friend in property
for Blockbuster Video. I was looking to transition, and a friend in property
management helped me get my foot in the door with a job as an onsite manager/concierge
management helped me get my foot in the door with a job as an onsite manager/concierge
at a high-end Boston condominium. It's been 25 years, and I've never looked back.
WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?
Every day is diff erent. Things are constantly evolving, and you're always changing gears.
There is so much interaction and relationship building with people from all walks of life.
I've always been a customer service kind of person, so I see our role as getting things done for
our clients, but also, educating them about how to best protect their homes, which for most
people is their biggest investment.
WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES WORKING WITH ASSOCIATIONS AND BOARDS?
You're always dealing with diff erent personalities, so it's critical to take a lot of care with relationships
so the people on both sides - the property managers and the board members - are a good fi t.
You might have a really eff ective manager handling the account, but if his or her style clashes with
that of a particular board member, it will get in the way. It's something we must always be mindful of
because board members change all the time. On our side, we'll change account managers if we have
to. But our clients want to feel a sense of stability, so before we get to that, we do a lot of up-front personality
assessment with team members and provide coaching to help them mesh with the client.
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH CAI-NE?
CAI is huge for our industry. The education it provides is key, and the resources available to
members are incredible. I spent the fi rst few years of my career learning the ropes, and then
around 2008, I took the next step by joining CAI. I remember the fi rst time I attended a manager
meeting, I somehow ended up in a room with all these property management company owners.
I realized that the things they were discussing could really benefi t the people like me who
were out in the fi eld, working hands-on with the clients. Over time, with the help ofCAI-NE,
we turned the managers' meeting into a more roundtable style and tried to include more
property managers. We invited guest speakers from all facets of the industry - legal, contractors,
trades, you name it. It's just a great group of people.
30 CONDOMEDIA October 2024
YOU WERE RECENTLY
ELECTED VICE
PRESIDENT OF CAI-NE.
WHAT ARE YOUR
GOALS FOR YOUR
THREE-YEAR TERM?
I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE
WORKING ON GROWING
OUR MEMBERSHIP; THERE
IS SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY
THERE. IT'S ABOUT CREATING
MORE AWARENESS OF ALL
THE RESOURCES WE OFFER,
REACHING OUT TO THOSE
INDUSTRY PIONEERS WHO
ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO
SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE,
AND BRINGING PEOPLE
TOGETHER. THE EDUCATION
WE PROVIDE IS NOT JUST
THEORETICAL. IT'S ALL
PRACTICAL AND APPLICABLE
TO THE THINGS WE DEAL
WITH ON A DAILY BASIS.
I TELL NEW MEMBERS THAT
YOU SHOULD TAKE AS MUCH
AS YOU CAN, PUT IN AS
MUCH AS YOU CAN, GET ALL
THE CERTIFICATIONS YOU
CAN, AND DON'T JUST HANG
YOUR CERTIFICATE IN A
FRAME BEHIND YOUR DESK -
PUT IT TO USE IN YOUR
DAY-TO-DAY PRACTICE.

Condo Media - October 2024

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